China Shenzhen to Pilot Medical Reforms This Year

The reform, the so-called "separation between doctors and medicine", will for the first time abolish markup to price of medicine in public hospitals of Shenzhen when sold to patients

A southern Chinese city plans to pilot a program to separate the long-criticized medical system in the country that binds doctors' income to how much medicine they sell, official media reported.

The reform, the so-called "separation between doctors and medicine", will for the first time abolish markup to the price of medicine in public hospitals of Shenzhen when sold to patients, the Xinhua News Agency reported, quoting source from local authorities.

The current direct economic connections between hospitals, doctors' prescriptions and medicine sales will be cut under pilot program, which will start in the half of this year.

While cutting prices of medicine in hospitals, the reform will also raise the value of doctors, and nurses' labor by hiking charges for consultation, the report said.

The move can help dampen hospitals' unhealthy pursuit over medicine sales, which is common in Chinese medical institutions and has long triggered complaints over heavy burden for patients, the report said.

A government-backed medical fund will afford part of the increases in charges, and thus reducing health care costs, it added.

Similar reforms will also be carried out this year in Beijing, media reports said, with a deputy official with the hospital authority being quoted as saying that the city was seeking experts from Hong Kong to steer the reforms.

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